The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1887-05-27
1.-THE FOOL ROOM.
Why It Became Hateful to Little
Zanby.

AduUys
Little Zanby was a cripple. 1t wa:
said that he had started out with fail
prospects, physically, but that having
while quite young, been hooked by a
steer, kicked by an old family horse
the most dangerous of all creatures
and finally run over by wood wagon,
he settled down into an ordinary Grip
pie, with one leg that was much too
short and with one arm that was with
cred like wilted polk-stalk. Little
Zanby had. from his earliest infancy,
lived in Cypress Grove. where every one
was acquainted with the hum of his in
'dnstrious old mothers spinning heel.
The old woman knew that her son was
going to be statesman. Had he been
strong and able to work, she would
have doubtless INDUCED no such hope,
but rs it was she seemed to think that
craftsmanship was about all that was
left for him. The school-teacher once
had the extreme hardihOod to tell her
that he did not think it was of much
use to send the boy to school. adding
that it was cruel to tax what little mind
the child had. The old woman was put
ting fresh .'shuck'' on the spindle of
her wheel at the time. She turned
from her work, which was indeed re-
markable attention for her to bestow
on any one, looked at the teacher from
head to foot, and said:
'.Mr. Scroggins, 1 see that all the
fools amt dead yit."
"My dear madam
don't dear madam, me. see how
1t is. You air all jealous o Zanby. Oh,
you neenter laugh, you great big lub-
bcrly good-fur-nothin' thing. This
very mint you ought to be out in the
woods splittin' rails, stead o maxim
your livin' by sittin' round a house.
You'll never be a statesman, Mr..
Scroggins, never while breath's in
that good-fur-nothm' body O. yourn.
Git outen my house-git!'
When the boy came home she took
him into an inner chamber. dark
room whittier she always went to pour
out her grief, and wept over him.
About the time Zanby arrived at the
age of eighteen years, a change came
upon him. Despite his infirmities, he
had ever maintained a cheerfulnes:
that was the wonder of sound people
but he suddenly became gloomy. Wher
some one spoke to his mother with re
gard to it. she replied:
ats puffeckly nachul. You kain't
expect boy that's goin' to be states
man to allus have the simple grins
Jcs let him alone, an he'll come on
all right
Yes" rejoined the ncighbor, ''bu
this mornin' seed him settin' on tin
bank o the branch .cryin' fit ter xii
hi self"
..What would YOU expect Statesman
to do? Allus giggle? Madam You jis
'tend to yore business an I'll try te
'tend to mine"
.'Oh. it amt that am tryin' to med
die with yore bus ness, madam; it's be
cause We air all interested in littl
Zanby. We air all so ulster seein hin
in the sun that it sorter posters us te
see him in the shade"
wall, that neenter bother you none
That child is comm outen the kink
faster than You ever seed a pusson
Wy, you oughter hear him talk in hi
sleep. He talks like a preacher"
The old woman, though she treate
the matter lightly, was deeply troubled
and when little Zanby came home sh
studied his face closely.
..Zanby; air yer well, my chile?' sh
asked.
"YesSum."
LAS well as yer wanter be-"
~Wel eZ ken be-"
-.How so?'
IVY, as yell as a poor cripple Ike
be-"
She had n yer before heard him spea
of his affection; she had never hear
him make remark SO serious, and he
chin quivered as she gazed upon him.
Il wuz fool all my life till the othe
day." he said. '.Now I've got som
sense" he added, after slight pause
..Whut have you learnt that's new?
she asked.
Learnt that I've allus been a fool.
tell you. I've been a sort O a butterfly
but now I'm a hornet"
She looked at him in establishment
'.Zanby, 1 know now that you kahn
help bein' a statesman.
Statesman, the deuce!'
'Mussyful heavens, chile, you"
That's all right. mother" Zanb
broke in. 1--WE hearn about that a
my life, and when wuz a fool pal
attention to it an lived in it, for wa
blind then, but ken see now. l kno'
you air surprised to see that amt u
longer q fool"